For King and Country
by AnneOfNarnia
Summary: Caspian is worried about his friend, who has left to find Prince Rilian. Oneshot. Please read & review!


**I do not own Narnia or any of it's characters. They are C.S. Lewis's.**

**AN: I hope you will like this. I was reading 'The Silver Chair' and just wondered what had happened to Drinian. **

Caspian woke up in the middle of the night. He was sweating and heard himself screaming. Suddenly he realized that it wasn't just a nightmare that woke him. He felt like a dagger was being stabbed through his heart, but he no-one was attacking him and there was no wound. He screamed even harder when it seemed to be twisted. If it was a real dagger being pierced through his heart, he would now have passed out, but Caspian was still aware of everything.

Armed men stormed in to the bedroom of the King. When they saw no-one attacking Caspian, they searched the room, but found no-one. A doctor was then called, to see what was wrong. In the mean time, the pain had gone and now Caspian passed out. He had a dream.

_Lord Drinian of Owlwood, his closest friend, was on his knees before the throne. Caspian wondered why, for they had gotten past these formalities within a year of their friendship. Hence he said: "Rise, my friend!" Drinian did so hesitatingly. "You seem to be burdened by something, Drinian. Tell me what it is."_

_Drinian spoke: "My Lord King, kill me immediately, for I am a traitor: because of my silence," his voice trailed of, but he continued: "your son has died through my fault." And Caspian was told the story of the beautiful green noble woman, that Drinian had seen yesterday, when riding with Prince Rilian to the place where the Queen had been killed. He heard that the creature had been nodding to the Prince and that Rilian had stared at her like a dumb person. The woman had then disappeared, but Drinian couldn't stop thinking that she was dangerous. _

_Caspian felt like his whole world was falling apart. After losing the one woman he had ever loved, he now lost the one person in the world who reminded him of her, the only heir to the Narnian throne. He looked at Drinian, who stood there still the same and suddenly he became enraged. His so-called friend could have saved his son's life. And then something snapped. He turned to a guard, grapped the ax in his hands and ran to Drinian, who just stood there, awaiting the deathblow. _

_Caspian halted right before him, rose the ax into the air and then..._

"Your Majesty." A few fauns were trying to wake him up again. Caspian felt nauseous, he didn't want to be reminded of that moment. It was a few months after the death of his wife, the daughter of the star Ramandu, that he had almost killed Drinian, Lord of Owlwood and his best friend. Drinian had forgiven him, he knew, but he still felt guilty.

Then another thought struck him. This was not an omen, was it? Was Drinian in danger? He hadn't heard from him in a week. They must be at the Giant's cities now and that was dangerous terrain, though they had sworn loyalty to Narnia's King. And suddenly he felt something was all wrong.

"When's the last time you heard anything of Lord Drinian's search party?" He asked a faun.

"Your Majesty need not worry, you should rest now."

He was worried and shouted: "I want someone going there now!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, tomorrow morning..."

"Did you not hear me? I said now! Or do I need to go myself?"

"I'll send someone there right away, Your Majesty." The faun left the room.

Caspian didn't went to bed anymore. He stood before his window, recalling how Drinian had told, not asked, him to go on this mission.

_It was only one day after Caspian had lost his only son and nearly killed his best friend. He hadn't stopped apologizing to Drinian since, but Drinian had stopped to tell him he was forgiven, for, he said, 'you know I have forgiven you.' _

_Caspian awoke with an empty feeling. He knew life went on and he had to be strong, for Narnia. The servant that brought him breakfast, told him Drinian wanted to see him as soon as possible. So Caspian dressed and then called Drinian in. _

"_Caspian!" Drinian walked to his friend, addressing him with his given name, for no servants were present._

"_Drinian," Caspian answered, shaking his head, "I'm so..."_

"_Don't say it," Drinian interrupted him. "I have something urgent to say to you."_

_They sat down at a table and Drinian fired away: "I will leave today for a searchmission after Prince Rilian."_

_Caspian was speechless. "I, I don't know what to say. Thank you!" And suddenly enthusiastic he inquired: "Were do you hope to find him? I'll send some men with you, you can't go alone."_

"_My son already offered to come, but a few more might come in handy. I will start to look at the place where Her Majesty was killed, and I hope to find some clues there."_

_Their conversation had continued and Caspian had agreed with Drinian's mission, not knowing that they would head north for the Giant's cities. But would he have stopped him if he had known that? Probably not, the prospect of seeing his son again would wipe away every objection he had._

At dawn he called for breakfast. It was brought and his servants insisted he would lie down for a few hours after that. 'Doctor's advice.' He reluctantly did so, mocking that Kings never got to do what they wanted. But the suggestion was probably for the best, for he fell asleep right away.

When he woke up from a too dreamless sleep, it had almost looked like death, the events of that night passed through his head again and the first thing he asked the faun who answered his calling was: "The man who was sent to Lord Drinian's searchparty, is he back yet?"

"No, Your Majesty." But Caspian saw in the faun's face he had something to hide. He and the other servants who had entered the room, acted exactly the same way they had when his son had gone missing and no-one had told him yet.

"What's going on?" He boomed.

The fauns were all startled by his sudden outbreak. One of them looked at some others and then said: "Lord Drinian's son has just arrived, Sire. He has asked for an audience with you."

"Why..." Caspian wanted to shout at the servants for their aggravating behavior, but he realized there were more important things now. "Bring him into the throneroom! I will speak to him now." Caspian was forced by his servants to put on some clothes, but he had never cared less about his appearance.

He knew the man who greeted him formally in the throneroom. Lord Desian, Drinian's son, was about the same age as Prince Rilian. They had grown up together and were best friends, just like their fathers.

Were that tears glowing in the man's eyes? Caspian needed to hear what had happened, but dared not ask for it.

Desian seemed to understand that, for he just started talking. "We started our quest for Your Majesties son..."

But he couldn't finish his sentence, for Caspian broke out in a cry: "Tell me what happened to your father!"

The man bowed his head, cleared his throat and then merely said: "My father... has been killed in battle." He knew that was all the King needed to hear at that moment. Desian told the servants wordlessly to leave the room.

Caspian sat numb on his throne. He let his emotions take over. He let out a heart-breaking cry. Tears streamed down his cheeks and sobs turned into another scream. He couldn't think of anything. Not of the past, not of the future, and most certainly not of the present.

Lord Desian stood by the window. Caspian couldn't see, but suspected the man was crying too.

For an hour, he just sat there. After the scream that would set your teeth on edge he was silent. Slowly the memories he had shared with Drinian came back. Their first steps on the road of friendship, their journey to the End of the World, their struggles when Drinian had told him he had been in love with Ramandu's daughter and so many more things.

When he had regained his composure a little, Caspian said: "I offer my condolences to you, Lord Desian. I know how it feels to lose a relative that is so close to you."

"I offer you mine, Sire." He hesitated before continuing: "I know how it feels to lose ones best friend."

They looked each other in the eyes and felt a bond between the two of them.

And then Desian started to talk:

"We started at the place where Her Majesty was killed. There we found," Desian found it difficult to speak the next words: "No remains of Prince Rilian." Caspian winced at the words, but didn't interrupt.

"We examined the places for tracks and we found traces of horseshoes. We were able to follow them north for a mile or two, but then they went trough a river so we didn't know where to go.

Some men had heard of the witches of the north, who lived past the Giant's cities. They were said to dress in green, just as the lady my father had seen nodding to Prince Rilian. We decided to go to the Giant's city first, hoping that they would still be loyal to Your Majesty.

We passed a cave where at least fifty giants lived at night and they didn't even notice us. But then we came to a place called Harfang. We asked for shelter, but they refused it, even after we said we came in the name of Your Majesty.

That night we took our shelter in a deserted city. Some men claimed to see a lady in green, but they were probably just dreaming. Just after midnight, we were attacked by the Giants of Harfang. Most men wanted to flee, but my father had a feeling that we were close and shouldn't give up.

With ten men we fought an entire army of Giants. We were protected by a shower of arrows, but it wasn't enough. After a few minutes of fighting, my father fell. It took only a scratch of a Giant's sword to wound him most dangerously.

We decided to retreat, to care after my father. We hid in the deserted city and the Giants didn't pursuit us any further. But my father had already lost a lot of blood." Desian couldn't speak any further.

"I hope I am not asking to much," Caspian hesitated, "but what were your fathers last words?"

"Your Majesty has all right to ask, for they were mostly directed to you." Desian answered and then continued his story. "He said: 'Don't let Caspian come to this place himself. Narnia needs him more then ever, now we have lost our crown prince. Tell Caspian that I am sorry for all the times I wronged him. I tried to be his loyal friend and subject. I can think of no better death then dying for my friend and King's sake. I'll be waiting for him in Aslan's country.'" Desian found it hard to continue.

Caspian felt tears on his cheeks again, for he felt he didn't deserve this great kindness of his friend. "And then," he swallowed, "he died?"

"No, Your Majesty, he spoke some more things to me."

Caspian wanted to tell the young Lord of Owlwood he needn't tell him, but Desian had already started. "My father continued, while growing weaker and weaker: 'And you, my son, I know you will make a fine Lord of Owlwood. You have to be a friend to the King. Obey him, but tell him when he's doing something stupid.' Then his eyes started rolling in his head and he added only one last sentence: "Aslan bless you, my son, and the King." After that he gave his last breath.

Both men cried silently. After a while a faun entered the room. Caspian looked annoyed and wanted to send him out. Desian walked up to the faun to hear what he had to say. Then he turned to the King: "They have brought in my fathers body, Sire."

The next day, Lord Drinian of Owlwood was buried. King Caspian showed his emotions to the entire court, something he had never done before. Lord Desian took his father's seat in the King's council and tried to be his friend. When Caspian sailed away to ask Aslan who should become King after he had died, it was Desian he had on his mind. But both of them were genuinely happy when Rilian returned and Desian served him till death, like his father had served his friend and King before him.

**AN: Well? Tell me what you think about it by reviewing. **

**I would like it very much if you read my other story too. **

**Anne**


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